There’s an old joke:
While speaking with a friend’s daughter, I asked what she wanted to be when she grew up.
Marcia proudly announced, “I want to be President!”
This caused her parents, both of whom are liberal Democrats, to beam with pride.
I then inquired, “If you become President, what is the first thing you would do?”
Marcia replied, “I would give houses to all homeless people.”
“That is a worthy goal,” I said, “but you don’t have to wait until you’re President to do that. You know our dog, Poco? Well, he likes to poop in our backyard and I have to clean that up. I’ll pay you $5 a week if you’ll do that for me. Then I’ll then take you to see a homeless man up there by the grocery store so you can give him the money to help him buy a home.”
Marcia looked at me and asked, “Why don’t you ask him to clean up the poop himself?”
I smiled and said, “Welcome to the Republican Party.”
I laughed out loud, really, when I came across the real life version of this:
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — When “Occupy Wall Street” protesters took over two parks in Portland’s soggy downtown, they pitched 300 tents and offered free food, medical care and shelter to anyone. They weren’t just building, like so many of their brethren across the nation, a community to protest what they see as corporate greed.
They also created an ideal place for the homeless. Some were already living in the parks, while others were drawn from elsewhere to the encampment’s open doors.
I think this gets a little fuzzy. I say that because I think there are dangers when personal obligations mingle with State obligations. See, this is where the Left is able to effectively hammer the Right. See, it is ABSOLUTELY our personal responsibility to perform charitable work for those of us less well off. However, that same responsibility does not exist for the government.
Anyway, this nicely frames this nugget:
Homeless transplants from the city’s Skid Row have set up their tents within the larger tent city. No violence has been reported, but protest organizers are attempting to discourage people who are only at the encampment for the amenities.
I smiled and said, “Welcome to the 53%!”
